Mon, 25 Jan 2027 8:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Join a community of colleagues who visit each other's classes, appreciate and learn from one another, and reflect on ways to improve their teaching.
This program aims to provide an opportunity for instructors to meet, observe, and learn from others' teaching outside of their immediate department and/or college, creating an interdisciplinary, cross-campus community. It is also a program that emphasizes appreciating the good work others are doing as well as learning from and with others committed to improving their teaching.
Participants will be placed in teams of three and observe each other's classes. Participants get to decide what class their triangle colleagues will visit. They will then reciprocate. The emphasis is not on providing an evaluation of teaching practices, or for the observed instructor to get feedback from the observer, but rather for observers to discover, appreciate, and learn from observing another's teaching practices. In other words, it is a self-reflective learning process done in collaboration with others.
To orient everyone to the program, we will have an online, synchronous meeting on Tuesday, February 2, at 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Later in the semester, on Tuesday, March 23, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m., we will have an online, synchronous discussion to share our reflections and maybe even some strategies that we tried out after observing colleagues.
Following is an outline of the time commitment:
- February 2, 1:00 p.m. - Attend an online orientation to the program including the focus on appreciative inquiry and the observation process. (Teaching Triangles will also be assigned at this time and time will be provided to meet your team and set up an observation schedule.)
- Between February 3 and February 26 - Visit each other's classrooms in-person (a personal reflective guide will be provided for the observations).
- Between March 1 and March 12 - Members reflect on what they have learned and maybe try out some teaching strategies in their own classroom.
- March 23, 1:00 p.m. - Attend an online program wrap-up meeting. (Time will be provided during the session for Teaching Triangles to meet to share their personal reflections along with a whole group reflection on the program.)
Please use the survey link below to register and share more about the class(es) you wish to have your colleagues observe.
Facilitator: Lori Gano-Overway, CHBS & CFI
Faculty participants will make progress towards:
- Strengthening connections with other instructors across the campus
- Discovering, appreciating, and learning from the diverse teaching of JMU instructors
- Making teaching a less isolating, mystifying, or individualistic endeavor
Application Questions: (Microsoft Forms)
- Full Name
- JMU Email
- College
- Department
- Please provide information about courses you would like other instructors to observe during the Teaching Triangles:
- Course #1, #2, #3: Title and Number
- Course #1, #2, #3: Number of Students
- Course #1, #2, #3: Classroom Location (Including if it is virtual)
- Course #1, #2, #3: Days of Week and Time
- Is there anything you would like to communicate to us at this time?
Apply by Monday, January 25.
CFI programs will be canceled automatically if JMU is closed for inclement weather.
We want this program to be welcoming, accessible, and inclusive for all of our participants. Please let us know any considerations or accommodations (e.g., dietary, disability, wellness, cultural, etc.) by reaching out to us at cfi@jmu.edu or (540) 568-4846.
